Cotton-boll harvester.



TVT. E. SWTH.` COTTON BOLL HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I4', |912.

Patented Aug. 21, IQII.

6 SHEETS-SHEET l.

,4Z/ Edna??? attorney; 5

` v Ivi.l E. SMITHP COTTON BOLL HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. I4, |917.

gmayiloi Y ME Jmz 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

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WI. E. SMITH. COTTON'BOLL HARVESTER'.

APPucATmN FILED FEB. 14. 1917.

Patented 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4 COTTON BOLL HARVESTER. v Aeucmou mso FEB. :4, 1917;

Patente@ Aug. 4.211, 1917.,

a snsfrsvsnan 5.

Ik \\x 3 @tion/wus M. E. SMITH. COTON BOLL HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. |917.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

j Stimm/e145 in Cotton-Boll Harvesters,

iu in TTT@ MILLARD Emilion SMITH,

0F ST. JO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 OF MONTAGUE COUNTY, TEXAS. v

J'. T. SIMMONS,

COTTON-BOLL HARVESTER.v

To aZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MILLARD ELMOR SMITH, .a citizen of the United States of America, residing at St. Jo, in the county of Montague and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereiny tothe accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a cotton boll harvester and has for its principal object the production of a structure which will quickly and readily strip the unopened bolls from the cotton stalk Another object of this yinventionis the production of a cotton boll harvester wherein a plurality of forks are provided which will catch the bolls and cause the same to be moved adjacent a' rotary cutting knife which will readily clip the bolls from the stalks as the harvester is moved forwardly.

Another object of production of a cotton boll harvester wherein an endless apron is employed which will receive the bolls adjacent the inner ends of the forks and move these bolls to one end of the body of the harvester.

A still further object of this invention is the production of an efficient boll harvester wherein a simple and efficient means is provided for tilting the harvester and thus tilt .the forward end of the forks for permitting the cottoni stalks of various heights to be readily stripped of the bolls.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the cotton boll harvester showing the same ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the boll harvester as constructed in accordancewith this invention.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the harvester partly broken away.

Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the cotton boll harvester.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the device taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Specification of Letters Patent.

this invention is the' ratenteaaug. einer?.

Application filed February 14, 1917. Serial No. 148,662.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. v

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view through a portion of the structure, illustrating the manner in which one end of the apron roller is supported. i

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 l of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view ofv a portion of the forward end of the cotton harvester illustrating' the arrangementsl of the forks.

Fig. l1 is a vertical section taken on the line l1-11 of Fig. l. j

Fig. 12 is a detail perspective view of one wheels.

Fig. 13 is a plan of the apron rollers. N

Fig. 14 is an elevation of one endof the rotary knife.

Fig. 1'5 is a detail perspective view of one of the forks. I

Fig. 16 is a 'section taken on the line of the levers used for moving the cater view of one end -of ne loire of Fig. `5.

wheels are adjustably mounted upon the harvester.

Fig. 18 is a detail perspective view of'one end of the main axle.

Fig. 19 is a section taken on the line 1.9;19 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, it will be seenI that l designates the bottom upon which the sides 2 and the rear end 3 are Xedly mounted so as to form a hollow body for receiving' the bolls which are strip ed by the harvester. The longitudinal side beams 4 are-mounted upon the body of the harvester and upon these beams 4, adjacent the forward end are carried the journals 5 through which the sectional main aXle 6 extends. This axle has a turn-buckle 7 to connect its inner ends for assisting in holding the aXle against accidental movement and in a rigid condition. A block 8 is of the body of vthe harvester l 9 will extend into the support the levers 17 at points adjacent the.l

.18 as shown in section of the main axle 6 and this block4-8 hasthe pins 9 extendingV outwardly therefrom. This block is also provided with recesses 10 which will receive the pins 11 carried by the block 12 which is alsoA mounted upon the main axle 6, being held. against movement by means of the screws 13 which pass through each block 12 and engage the side beams 4.' Stub-axles 14 extend outwardly from each block 8 as shown clearly/'f i in lIFig. 5, so

aste receive the hub 15 of the drive wheel 16. When the harvester is in operation, the blocks 8 will fit snugly upon the fixed blocks 12 so.- as tocause the pins `11 to extend into the'recesses 1 0 while lthepins blocks 8, whereby the blocks 8 .-Will" be held against accidental movement. It will be seen, howevef,"that when it is desired, the blocks 8 will be moved from engagement from the' blocks 12 so as .to allow the pins to fit withinv the selected openings, whereby the height of the harvester body or thedistance the same is supfported from the ground may be adjusted inasmuch as the stub-axles 14 are carried upon the blocks 8 off-center whichl will consequently cause e blocks .8 upon the blocks 12 to increase or shorten the height of the. harvester body.

In this manner, it will be seen that the for-- boll harvester is adward end of the cotton justably and positivelyvsupported.

' The levers 17 have a securing rod 18 passing through their bodies 19 so as to pivotally rear ends of the beams 4. This rod 18 is vheld upon the side beams v4 by the clamps Fig. 3. These levers 17 also have. stub-axles 2O at their lower ends uponl lwhich the wheels 21 are rotatably supported being retained thereon by the nuts 22. It will be seen that each beam 4 is provided with a rack 23 'engaged by the spring pawl 24-of the lever 17, whereby the levers will be positively retained in set positions upon the rear .ends of the beams 4. It will be seen by'referring particularly to Fig. 4 that i when the levers are slanting rearwardly, the

.rear end of the harvester will be in its low est position, although upon swinging the levers 17 to vertical position, the height of the rearend of the harvester will be considerably increased and in this manner, it will be seen that the rear end'of the harvester is capable of being vertically adjusted with respect to the ground.

The side bars 25 have the forwardly ex tending ends 26 which fit upon the standards 27 carried upon the 4sides 2 of the harvester body. These bars 25.are permanently secured upon the. beams 4 and the standards 27 by means of the bolts .or other securing memthen extend outwardly as indicated at 29 so as to pass upon the adjustment of these the outer sides of the drive wheels 16. A reinforcing bar 30 is curved throughout its entire length and has its ends secured as indicated at 31 to the bars 25'adjacent their forward ends for holding these bars in spaced-relation.. lt will also be seen that the bars will be further reinforced by means of the spacing bolts 32, thereby yforming lacomparatively /end of the harvester body. The forward rigid frame upon the-forward ends of the bars 25 are adaptedto,.. carry swingletrees which are not thought necessary to herein disclose, so as to permit draft animals ,to. be harnessed tothe swingletrees for drawingthe harvester forwardly. 1t should be -notedfthat the bars 25` are provided with depending portions 33 having openings 33 formed therein, which openings 3.3 are adapted to receive the outer ends of the stub-'axles 14 as'shown in- Fig. 5, where by the outer `ends of the stub-axles will be setjand the bars 25 will be held from spreading Vwhen in operation. By providing several of the openings 33', it will be seen that the depending portions 33 of the bar 25 will provide for the adjustment of the blocks according to the movement ofthe blocks upon each other when it is desired to change the'adjustment of the forward end of the harvester body.

1n order to .gather the bolls to such a p01 s ition as to permit the same to be severed by .the rotating knife a sill 34 has its ends mountedupon the beams 4, as shown clearly 1n Fig. 6. Brackets 35 are boltedas indicated at; 36 u'pon the beams 4 and these brackets have shoulder yportions 35 which n iitupon the upper portions of the sill 34, adjacent its ends, thereby allowing the bolts 36 to be passed through the shoulder 35 downwardly through the sill 34 and the beams 4 so as to receive the nuts 37, whereby the sill will be ixedly mounted upon the beams 4. These brackets 35 project. upwardly and are provided with hub portions 38 for purposes to be hereinafter set forth. The sill 34 is provided with a plurality of grooves 39 formed therein which receive the shanks 40- of the forks 41. The construction of the forks 41-is clearly shown in Fig. 15 and `it will be seen that these forks41 are comparatively broad adjacent their rear ends and taper to the forward pointed ends 42. The reduced shank 40 of each fork 41 has a depending lthreaded bolt portion 43 formed at a distance from the outwardly extending abutting' lug44 formed upon the .fork 41. These Shanks 40 fit lwithin the grooves 39 as shown in Fig. 6, so as to allow the bolt portion 43 lof the fork to pass through the sill 34 as shown in Fig. 4, whereby nuts 45 may be applied to the projecting lower ends of these bolt portions 43 for fixedly holding the forks upon the sill 34. At this time, it will be seen by referring 4 the alternate forks are longer than the inlonger forks are made intermediate forks and the Shanks of the longer than the shanks of the shorter forks, thereby allowj ing the longer forks tofbe moresteadily secured than if the shanks were of the same length as the shorter forks, since the longer shanks by fitting upon the wheel will provide a greater fulcrum for 'holding the longer forks after the nuts 45 have been applied thereto. -These forks 41 project for a considerable distance beyond the forward endxof the harvester body and as a consequence will pass between the stalks of the cotton bushes, whereby the bolls will be held upon the forks Aalthough the loose stalks may slip between the forks. It is intended to have these forks of such a width and spaced at such a distance apart as to positively hold the unopened bolls, although the loose or opened bolls or loose stalks will readily slip between the forks without being retained so as to be cutting knife.

. An elongated squared block 46 which constitutes a portion of the rotary lmife has` plates 47 and 48 secured by the bolts or screws 49 upon its end portions. The plate 48 has a comparatively short stub-axle 50 projecting through one of Vthe hubs 38 of one of the brackets 35 as shown in Fig. 6.

j A collar 51 having a yset screw 52 is permaL nently secured upon the stub-axle adjacent its outer end so as to assist in holding the stub-axle against movement through the hub 38. The plate 47 isprovided with a comparatively long stub-axle 53 as shown in Fig. 5 andl upon this stub-axle 53 there l is carried a fixed pinion 54. An endless chain 55 lpasses around this pinion 54 and also passes around the gear wheel 56 which is fixedly mounted upon one of the drive wheels`16 as shown in Fig. 5. Thus, itwill be seen that as the harvester is moved forwardly, a rotary motion is imparted to the gear wheel 56 by means of the drive wheel 1'6 and the chain will pass around the pinion 54 and owing to the relative size of the pinion 54 with respect to the gear wheel 56, it will be seen that the pinion 54 will impart very rapid rotary motion to the stubaxle 53, thereby causing the elongated `squared block 46 of the cutting knife to be very rapidly rotated. The blade 57 rests evenly upon the flat surfaces of the elon gated squared block 46 and these blades 57 which have cutting edges are held in adsevered by the rotaryA -Inay come into the path of movement of the cutting edges. The rotary cutting knife is therefore rotatably mounted upon the upper ends of the brackets 35 directly above the inner ends" of the forks 41. As a consequence, when rotary motionis imparted by means of the gear wheel, chain and pinion to the square elongated block 46 and the blades are therefore Amoved in a circular Vpath, it is 'intended to have the cutting edges 58 of these blades 57 extend or move adjacent the inner ends of the forks 41 as shown in Fig. 5, whereby the bolls which are gathered move rearwardly along the path of travel of the cutting edges of the blades 47 and as a consequence will be quickly and rapidly severed from the stalks of the cotton bushes, thereby allowing these stalks to readily slip from between the forks without being severed by therotary cutting knife.

A loose roller 61 is mounted upon the body ofthe harvesting machine adjacent its rear end as shown clearly in Fig. 4 at a spaced distance from the roller 62 carried within the body of the cotton harvester upon itsforward open end. These rollers are carried above the bottom 1 and are pros vided with pins 63adjacent their ends as shown c learlyy in Figs. 9 and 13.4 These rollers 6l and 62 have plates 64 bolted as shown at 65 in F ig. 8 from which project the stub-shafts 66. mounted upon the retaining plate 68 which is bolted as shown at 68 to one of the sides 2 of the body of the cotton harvester, whereby the ends 4of the rollers 61 and 62 will be firmly supported upon the body of the cotton harvester. The plate 70 mounted upon one end of the roller 62 by means of the screws or bolts 71 `has an elongated shaft 72 extending therefrom which also has a pinion .73 keyed upon its outer end. This The bushing 67 isl fork and will move into' alinement with the 90 al@ miler e2, the endless' fore, it will be strips'- 76 are lprovided with registering 77 into which the pins 63 ofthe openings and 62 pass as therollers are rorollers 61 tated, as

seen that4 when the roller 62 is rotated, the passing of the pins 68 into the opening 77 will positivelyl hold the apron from slipping upon the rollers and as a consequence will causel the apron to` move therearound toward the rear end ofv the harvester body.

In order to preventfthe cotton bolls which have been moved by means of the forks to a y position to be severed bythe rotating knife from falling over the side edges of the endless apron o r from passing provided a protector plate 78 as shown in Fig. 4. This plate 78v is carried adjacent the plates 79 upon the sill 34 and this plate 79 has a beveled edge 80 against which the cutting edges 58l of the blades 57 will slightly bear so as to cause the severance ofthe ybolls A tector plate 84 which are which are gatheredlby the'forks. The pro- 7 8 extends downwardly so as to adjacent the upper surapron as shown in as the bolls are severed terminate at a point face of` the endless Fig. 4. Therefore,

Iby the blades 57, it will be seen that the at surfaces of the cutting knife will strike the bolls so as to throw the same along over the guard plate 78 causing the bolls to fall upon thegnoving endless apron. -Thisapron 75 will then move the bolls tothe inner ends of the body of the harvester, although the bolls will be prevented from passing over and around the `inner roller 61 inasmuch as the cleat 81 is Xedly mounted upon the inner end3 of the body of the harvester at such a point as to limit the inward movement of the bolls as the same are' conveyed inwardly upon the apron 75. Guard strips .82 are also positioned within the body of the Acotton harvester so as vto overhang the endat points adjacent its side less apron 75 guardstrips 82 are cut away edges. rllhese upon their lower portions as shown at 83 so as to permit suflicientspace for the accommodationl of thereinforcing strips 76 carried upon the side edges of the" endless apron 75. These guard strips 82 are secured in position by means of the hanger brackets bolted to the sides 2 of the harvester body and also to the upper portion of each strip 82as shown at 85. Since the upper surfaces of these guard strips 82 are vguard shown clearly in Fig. 9. There-' down under the, endless apron around -the rollers, there is' The opposite end of sla-nting downwardly apron 75, it will be seen may pass onto the upp strip 82 and will be directed on to the apron toward the center thereof. lThus it will be seen that by the provision of the guard plate cleat 81, the bolls will be positively retained in the harvester body and be prevented from clogging orpreventing the efficient operathat the bolls which tion of the apron v7 5.

The angular plates 86 are boltedl as indicated at 87 upon the side beams 4 adjacent theirrear endsand these angular plates 86 have vertical standards 88 extending upwardly therefrom. Theupper ends of these standards 88 pass into'the joints 89 while the slanting braces 90 are also carried by these joints 89 and have their 81 to the side 'beams 4 as shown in Fig. 1,

while these joints carry the ends of the rods 92.I as shown in Fig. 2. The collars 93 are retained in` set-position by means of the screws 94 in spaced relation upon the rods 92 at/a/point adjacent the center thereof as shown in Fig.l 11. The sleeve 95 is loosely lars 93 and this sleeve 95 has a stem 96 depending journal 97 into which threkbearing 98. ofthe yoke 99 of the crazy vvleel 100 extends. By having the journal 98 extending into the bearing 97, it will be seen that the wheel 100 may swing to' either side `asl desired.

`Under normal conditions, this wheel 100 is allowed to ride Aupon the surface.. of the ground Fig. 4, When,

it is in an inoperative position. however, 1t is desired to turn the harvester at the end of a row at which time.

wise secured as indicated at upon the slat 103 and upon the'upper end lof the standards 27 vatthe ends -tof the slat for iXedly retaining thisslat upon the upper portionof the harvester body. A link 106 is secured byv means of a bolt 107 to the lever 101 which lever 101 is adjustably Y mounted by, means of a spring pressed p awl 108. It will be noted by referring particularly to Fig. 4 that the end of the link 106 is adjustably mounted upon the lever 101 for allowing the adjustment of the lever with respect to the link when so desired.

this link 106 is also adtherefrom. The stem 96 carries a toward the endless 65 er surfaces of either l 70 78 the guard strips 82 and-the i lower ends i permanently secured yby means of the bolts mounted upon the rods 92 between the col- ,I

but is not-in use for as shown inv l justably mounted as shown at l109-u'pon the stem 96. When it is desiredto turn the h arplane beneath the rod 92, thus preventing lthe stalk cutter fromv severing the stalks or 'the wheels 21 vester at the end of the row orwhen the harvester is being `moved from place to 1 place, the lever 101 is swung forwardly by the operator of the -harvester, thus causing l' y the link 106 to drawforwardly'iiponlthe` stem 96. This action will swing the'stemf 96 forwardly and pivot the sleeve1952uponf the .rod 92, thereby f movingf'the wheeljlOO; to a point under the rodl.92, fyvherebyflthe weight-of supportingthe inner'end ofthe' harvester will be taken up by;the- Wheel-100.21` Since the -mounting '.ofthewyoke 99 l upon. `j A flowering of the vinachine and 'at the saine i 1time" direct-the draft animals which are to ybe vattached 'to the forward end of the harthe stem 96 is such-to "allow"the -lwheel v,-100

to swing laterally `when vnecessaryfit is ob?` viousythat a very shortturnmay-be 'made with theharvesten v "f' After the bolls have been s the stalks of 'the bushes, the bushesaregthen desirable to havethe samecutdownlL- In order Vto 'accomplish' this function, A,the'fhub's:

110 areloosely mounteduponthe boltlB as .shown in Fig."3.-,-This bolt 18 is sectional and has its inner en d connected by means of` the vturn-buckle 111. Therefore, when` itflis so desired, the turn-bucklemay-.bef'turned'1iso as to,.releasethe'endsof thejsectional bolt 18, thus allowing the'bolt to be with-1"VA drawn so vas to permit the hubs' 110. tof-beremoved from engagement" withf 'the.'two'- sectionshof the bolt. The fingers. 11`2``are iXedly carried uponthehubsllO and these fingers 112 have elongated blades 113 fixedly stalks.

as long as the stalk cutter 'is permitted toi.

rotate, whereby the stalks may be readily cut down after the bolls have been removed therefrom. As above explained, however,- nit is of course, obvious that by the move-v nient of the lever 17, the caster wheels may be moved to a position which will prevent the stalk cutter'from coming into severing tripped-from l ='.1nd1cate`df at 118up'on1the stubeaxles 50 'and of no further use and consequently it' isf'very lfand are-secured thereto so as to extend in ifjafverticalplane. The inner ends off'theS/e .-:fstrands"117` are vprovided with spaced vloops -15,119,',whichfarearranged in a fixed position fIbymeans ofthe lock 120. These strands, ex-

tend for a `vconsiderable',` distance vabove .the upper portions of therotary cuttingknife an fof vtheffbo'lls very rapidly engagementwith the stalks or if desired, thewheel 100 may be drawn to extend' in a lfrom rotating upon the ground, a, i Itv is obvious that the arms 114 may fit upon the upper edges of the sides 2 and end being-:easily 'Supported'l above the harvester y body-.gin va .positiontov permit-j the operator of,v the-machine to :operate the raising and ester,"

The-strands 117 looped as llas la L consequence, the -operator'-may u ttin'gknife in such a manner as to allow .the `operator to l easily directfthe' draft' ani# 'Inalsfl by means of the lines. Furthermore mounted upon their outer ends. v,ATherefore',1in ,order to prevent the rotary cutting knife when the harvester is operating in the 'position 'indicated in Figs; 1 and 4, it Vwill beiv seen that the wheels '21 are moved to sucht a position as to allowfthe blades 113 to pro- .l ject and extend in aplane below* theplane of the lower portions of thewheels 21. As a consequence, .the blades will partially'p'ass 4into the-ground for it will be seen thatl it is 'impossible for these blades towithholdy 'orsupport the weight-of the harvester.

After the bolls have been severed frornthef.` stalks of the cotton bushes, theseastalks will l pass back. under vthe harvester jas' thefhar-f vester moves thereover. .Tlielbla'des of the stalk cutter will, however,I come'i'nto engage; ment with th'ese'stalks asthe vstalksl'n'ove from under the rear endjofjthe` harvester',-v body and will swing these stalker-down#Vv wardly into the ground and thenv sever the This same operation willcontinuel'` ffrom'accidental gathering. the stalks and cutting thefjsamebefore the b'olls have been stripped, yfa rectangular frame ,'121'pa'sses` around the forward portion of the "rotzliry downward sweep-of the cnttingedge of the `-grotary` Hcutting knife' 'from gathering .the

v'st'alksfand cutting thesame' after *allowing l ftllesame tofpassthroughthe forks.l

vvIt is of course, .obvious'that the vstandards 27. may be provided with steps 123 forassist- :ing the operator` in mounting to thejnpper. portions of the harvester and 'thusgainghac-A v cessto the seat 116.

place his lines or reins easily within the loops ,v l j119yand :owingv tov their spaced relation as 'sg'showni inifFig; 6, willj cause/the lines to be In the @stripping of thestalks they ton bolls, -itisgenerally necessary to do sov harvester' as above setforthit'. willi-beissen i tha-'fthe vstalks vn iay be mech are attached to the forward end'oftheibars 25 of the cotton harvstenj; -The har# -vestergis then drawn 'around' and vl'i'.he forks' thel o lls to lpasstofapoint adjacentv the will oase between the: stalks andfthus cause I guard plate 17 at' the innerr ends of the v forks. The movement of the drive wheels is of course obvious that as soon as the body is filled to a desired depth, it may beV emptied into any suitable conveyance and then the operation of the cottonboll harvester may be continued, While the bolls are being stripped from the stalks, the

caster wheels may be moved so asl to allow as long as the harvesteris ing said body,

Y said sill having a plurality of grooves, forks formed upon their inner ends,

the blades to"engage the stalks and cuty the same, thus mowing the iield as well.

From the foregoing description itwill be seen that a very simple and eficient cotton` Y boll harvester has been rovided vwhich is constructed so'as to rapidly and positively strip vthe stalks of the cotton .bolls and then sever the same, 'performing this operation moving and at a minimum expense. v

.What is claimed is.: l Y 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of 'a body, means for support- .a'sill carried by said body,

comprising elongated bodies having Shanks said shanks terminating in depending bolts, said forks also having laterally extending lugs, said lugs bearing upon the forward edge of said sill, said bolts passing through said sill whereby said forks will be h'eld against accidental displacement, and a rotary knife having cutting edges carried adjacent said forks whereby cotton bolls gathered by said forks may be cut from the stalks 'by the operation of said knife.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination 4of va body., forks carried by said body, said 'forks being adapted to gather the cotton bolls and move the same to a point adjacent the forward endof said body, a rotary knife comprising a squared elongated block, means for rotating .said block, blades positioned upon said block, and

means for holding said blades in an adjusted said blades being adapted to move said forks for severing bolls gathposition, adj acent body adjacent said gathering means,

remesa ered thereby, the-flat sides of said blades being adapted to strike the severed bolls for throwing the same into'said body.

3. In a device of the class described, the i combination of a body having forwardv and rear end portions, gathering means carried by said body, severing means carried by said carried upon the rear end portions of said body, a rod carried by said frame, a sleeve rotatably mounted upon said rod, a stem carried by said sleeve, a bearing carried upon the lower end of said stem, a yoke having a journal extending into said bearing whereby said yoke is pivotally supported, a wheel carried by said yoke, means for' moving said a frame stem forwardly and rearwardly whereby upon the movement of said stem said wheel will raise and lower the rear end portion of said body thereby working said gather# ing means at dilerent heights.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body, means for supporting said body, a sill carried by saidv body, forks comprising bodies having shanks formed upon their inner ends, said forks terminating in bolts, laterally extending lugs formed upon the inner ends of said lastm'entionedbodies, said lugs fitting upon the front' of said sill and said bolts projecting through said sill, means engaging said bolts for holding the same against displacement whereby said forks will beheld firmly upon said sill, and cutting means carried adjacent said forks. I

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body, means for supporting said body, said sill having grooves formed therein, forks comprisingl bodies having Shanks formed upon their inner ends, said shanks terminating in depending bolts, laterally a sill carried by said body, r

extending' lugs formed upon the inner ends of said last-mentioned bodies, said lugs bearing upon the front of said sill, said shanks fitting 'within said grooves, said bolts projecting downwardly below said sill, securing means connected to the projecting end of said bolts, whereby said bolts will be held against displacement, thereby firmly holding said forks upon said sill, andv cutting means carried adjacent said forks.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiiX my signature. i

` MILIJARD ELMOR SMITH. 

